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Adding scripts to your website.

What is a script?

A script is an executable list of commands created by a scripting language. On the Web, script typically means an alternative to the common gateway interface, or CGI. A CGI program could be written in any programming language, including C, Perl, Java, or Visual Basic, and runs on a server that can be accessed by the user agent. Scripts, on the other hand, are programs that run on the user's machine rather than the web server. Because they run on the client, scripts are considered to be "client-side solutions," while CGI programs are considered to be "server-side solutions."

A scripting language is a simple programming language used to write an executable list of commands, called a script. A scripting language is a high-level command language that is interpreted rather than compiled, and is translated on the fly rather than first translated entirely. JavaScript, Perl, VBscript, and AppleScript are scripting languages rather than general-purpose programming languages

Can I add scripts to my website?

On static web sites the extent of interactivity, beyond clicking on hyperlinks to go to new pages, involves scripting like Javascript or j-query. Web pages that have these scripts behind them are usually helpful navigation drop-downs, pop up boxes, calculators, create form fields for another script to process, or hit a buy now button.

With JavaScript, images can swap when you move a cursor over them, form elements can influence each other on the fly, and calculations can be made without having to resort to learning a database-driven programming language.

Adding Javascript to your website is pretty easy. There are websites that offer all types of javascripts with instructions on how to add them to your code.

Can I...

Do it myself?

Yes. Adding a simple javascript to your website is just a matter of cutting and pasting, each script comes with instructions on how to add the code to your web page.

Learn How?

There are more complex javascripts that do require some basic knowledge of the language to customize a script for your own use. Many javascripts do come heavily commented, indicating where you can set your own information (like date, file location, image name). The best interactive tutorial on javascript (which is free) can be found at w3schools.com. Their site does cover the basics and then ventures deeper into the language.

Hire a professional?

Yes, if you cannot find a script that will give you the functionality you need for your website.